From Monze to Cheltenham

18^th February 2020

Despite my best intentions I find it hard to continue my blog in the UK. Here I will just record the final days in Zambia.

I returned to the UK the evening before the General Election and I had once again jumped into another world.

Ireen came around on Monday morning with my shirts before I left for my bus to Lusaka. It was raining so we gave her a lift to her shop before the taxi dropped me off at Tooters Roadhouse.

It was an uneventful trip to Lusaka. Although the roadworks were still ongoing and the rain made the mud a challenge for some lorries – at one point a tractor was used to push lorries up a short hill!

I arrived in Lusaka early afternoon and wondered how I would spend the next day and a half! I cannot remember being in Lusaka when it is raining with time to kill. In the event everything worked out well. I relaxed on the Monday, with a trip to the nearby shops, cafe and a shop which provides internet access. I had been booked into an executive suite! However, they were happy to change it for a standard room – which suited me better. It was an ensuite room and perfectly adequate.

On the Tuesday morning I caught a minibus to the museum and spent 3 hours or so going around. The displays follow the development of humankind including the discoveries in Zambia – notably Kabwe man. The development of Zambia is detailed, including colonisation and the slave trade leading up to independence and the subsequent governments. I had plenty of time and found it interesting and instructive. There was also a substantial exhibit detailing the building of the TAZARA Railway, which provided a route to the coast in Tanzania to get around the problems of exporting goods caused by Northern Rhodesia at the time of Ian Smith's government in the 1960s and 70s. I hadn't realised that the Chinese financed and managed the project. Apparently the Chinese and Zambian workers had a good and close working relationship.

A gap in the showers allowed me to walk back towards the hotel (1-2 Km). I had a bite to eat and logged onto my account to print boarding passes only to find that after lusaka my flights were now referred to as “standby”. I had been getting messages urging me to upgrade to business class, but was surprised that it appeared that my onward flights were no longer confirmed.

Again there was a break in the rain so I took the opportunity to walk to the cathedral. There is always a lot to take in during my visits to Zambia and a bit of quite time to reflect is important, before I return to my other life. The rain returned and for the next hour or so I sat quietly in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

The rain stopped and I was encouraged to return to the hotel for supper. A football match after supper kept me entertained until my taxi arrived to take me to the airport.

In the event the flights home went ahead without incident and I arrived home at about 10 pm.

Chris